This invention relates to electromagnetic projectile launching systems, and more particularly to such systems wherein the recoil force is balanced by a substantially equal but opposite force resulting from an exhaust jet or the acceleration of a recoil mass in a direction opposite to the direction of projectile travel.
Electromagnetic projectile launchers are known which comprise a pair of conductive rails, a sliding conductive armature between the rails, a source of high current and a switch for commutating this current into the rails and through the armature. Current flow through the rails and armature results in an electromagnetic force on the armature which propels it along the conductive rails. Both sliding metallic and plasma armatures have been used. During acceleration of the projectile, a force which opposes the projectile acceleration is generated. This force is called the recoil force.
The substantial forces generated during electromagnetic acceleration of a projectile must be absorbed by large recoil structures which may be immobile, as in laboratory launchers, or energy absorbing, as in mobile launchers. While laboratory systems are capable of massive fixed recoil structures, mobile launchers do not have this luxury. Since it is desirable to limit the weight of mobile launchers, a suitable recoil structure must be non-fixed and able to dissipate large amounts of energy. One concept which has been used successfully in the chemical gun field is the recoilless launcher. The concept of a recoilless launcher follows a conservation of momentum principle to balance the recoil force. If an equal but opposite force is applied during a launch, the launcher barrel experiences zero motion, and therefore no recoil structure is needed. Electromagnetic projectile launchers constructed in accordance with the present invention utilize either an exhaust jet or the acceleration of a recoil mass to create a reaction force which balances the recoil force.